174 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



the right to use !) as early as the first of May to prepare a number of trees 

 as follows : ist. With Wier's trap screwed on in different positions — 

 some trees having single traps, either on the north, south, east or west 

 sides, and placed at different heights from the ground, and some having 

 as many as three traps ; 2d. Strips of old sacks, four inches wide, and • 

 lined on one side with pieces of lath tacked on transversely, and at such 

 distance from each other that, when brought around the tree, they formed 

 an almost complete wooden ring; 3d. Bandages of various kinds of rag; 

 4th. Hay ropes; 5th. Paper bandages, made of the cheapest kind of 

 straw paper, folded several times, and in widths varying from three to six 

 inches. In order to insure the utmost accuracy, these several traps were 

 regularly examined every twelve days throughout the season, and a care- 

 ful account kept of the worms or chrysalides found under each ; and 

 where it was a question as to the comparative merits of the different traps, 

 they were placed on trees of the same variety. The results of these ex- 

 periments — not to waste space with the detailed array of figures — may be 

 thus summed up. 



No apple worms were found until the 14th of June, and, though 

 many other insects had previously taken advantage of the shelter, not a 

 single plufH curculio was found. While, therefore, there is no harm in 

 having the bandages on as early as recommended last year, in ordinary 

 seasons, little, if any thing, will be lost by waiting till the first of June. 

 Where three of the Wier traps were on the same tree, I obtained more 

 worms than where there was but one ; and where there was but one, there 

 was no difference in favor of position, as regards direction or altitude — 

 taking the season through. The lathed canvas encircling the tree secured, 

 on an average, five times as many worms as any single Wier trap. The 

 rag, paper and hay bandages allured almost as many, and either kind 

 more than the single Wier trap. 



I hope, therefore, that the patentees have already realized the antici- 

 pated fortune from their invention ; for while I should be sorry to injure 

 their chances in the least, truth compels me to state that, after a year's 

 trial, I am not quite as favorably impressed with the usefulness of this 

 shingle-trap as I was before trial, and am more thoroughly confirmed in 

 the opinion expressed last year that, ' notwithstanding all the theories of 

 my friend Wier, it must always be inferior to any trap that encircles the 

 tree.' I do not wish to detract from its merits one jot, and where old 

 shingles are abundant and other material scarce, the former will still 

 prove valuable for the reasons given a year ago ; and Mr. Wier would 

 deserve our thanks for showing us how to use them, did he not persist in 

 claiming too much for them, and in making us pay for their use. 



" Time, expense and efficiency considered, and so far as one year's 

 comparison will warrant conclusions, I place the different materials enu- 

 merated in the following order of merit : 



" I. — Paper bandages. Common straw wrapping paper, 18x30, can 

 be bought for sixty cents per bundle. Each bundle contains two hundred 

 and forty sheets, and each sheet folded lengthwise thrice upon itself, will 



